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| Aloha kākou,
Tropical Cyclone Lala brought flooding, power outages and other disruptions across our state. My thoughts are with the families, businesses and communities still recovering, especially those on Hawaiʻi Island who experienced some of the storm’s greatest impacts.
As both Lala and Moke approached, DBEDT took steps to protect residents, visitors, facilities and essential services, including the Agribusiness Development Corporation activating emergency protocols at the Wahiawā Dam, the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation notifying communities and placing contractors on standby, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office coordinating with utilities and fuel suppliers, the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation preparing facilities and updating tenants, and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority sharing timely safety and travel information with visitors and industry partners in Hawaiʻi and around the world.
As recovery continues, our work is shifting toward assessing the storm’s economic effects and staying connected with partners in the business, housing, energy, technology and visitor sectors. HTA continues to provide current travel guidance and encourages visitors to support businesses that are open while respecting closures and recovery areas.
Mahalo to our DBEDT team, emergency responders, state and county partners and community organizations for their work before, during and after the storms. Recovery will take time for some communities and DBEDT will continue supporting the people and businesses that keep Hawaiʻi’s economy moving.
Me ke aloha,
James Kunane Tokioka
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Building the Foundation for Hawai‘i’s Next Economy
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Hawaiʻi knows the challenges of doing business in an island economy. The more important question is what we are going to do about them.
CNBC’s 2026 America’s Top States for Business rankings again highlighted many of the structural challenges facing our state. Hawaiʻi ranked 50th overall, including 50th in infrastructure and cost of doing business, 49th in technology and innovation and 45th in business friendliness.
We cannot change our geography or eliminate the cost of shipping goods across the Pacific. But the state has opportunities to address some of the barriers facing local businesses. DBEDT intends to focus on one of the most important: building the infrastructure and facilities Hawaiʻi businesses need to make products here.
Our strategy includes food and value-added product manufacturing, advanced manufacturing and technology and facilities supporting Hawaiʻi’s creative industries.
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This work requires long-term planning and investment. Before the state builds a manufacturing center, incubator or shared-use workspace, we must secure land and complete feasibility studies, planning, permitting and construction. Specialized equipment and operating resources follow. The accompanying graphic shows how these investments create a path from land acquisition to business growth and export.
We are already seeing what this approach produces. The Maui Food Innovation Center gives entrepreneurs access to education, technical assistance and manufacturing facilities. Honolulu Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Program Facility prepares students and workers for industrial careers. HTDC’s Kapāʻa Quarry Ocean Advanced Manufacturing Facility will provide shared space for ocean technology companies while informing plans for a permanent facility.
Through the Food and Product Innovation Network, the state is also developing a statewide system supporting entrepreneurs from product development through manufacturing and commercialization. Plans include a shared manufacturing facility in Wahiawā with commercial kitchens, equipment, storage, training and business assistance.
These investments address a major barrier for local entrepreneurs. Land, construction and specialized equipment often require millions of dollars before production begins. Shared public facilities distribute those costs across multiple businesses and give more local companies an opportunity to grow.
Progress will require patience. Land acquisition, design, construction, equipment and operations often receive funding across several years. Each investment represents one step toward a larger goal: helping Hawaiʻi residents develop ideas, manufacture products, build companies, create jobs and reach markets beyond our shores.
DBEDT intends to build the physical foundation Hawaiʻi’s next economy requires.
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2026 Made In Hawaiʻi Festival Puts Local Businesses in the Spotlight
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Local entrepreneurs from across the state took center stage from August 20-23 at the 32nd annual Made in Hawaiʻi Festival at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center.
DBEDT returned as the festival’s official government sponsor and featured 26 businesses from all four counties in its Hawaiʻi Made Pavilion. The pavilion focused on new and early-stage companies, including youth-, women- and Native Hawaiian-owned businesses.
For participating entrepreneurs, the festival offered a valuable opportunity to reach new customers, gain retail experience, test demand and receive direct feedback on their products.
The pavilion also featured 10 graduates of Leeward Community College’s ʻĀina to Mākeke food business accelerator program and Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center. The program helps food entrepreneurs turn home recipes into market-ready products through training in product development, pricing, branding and commercial growth.
The four-day festival included more than 800 vendor booths across nearly 300,000 square feet, along with chef demonstrations, fashion shows, tastings and live entertainment.
Through the Hawaiʻi Made program and events such as the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival, DBEDT helps local businesses reach customers, strengthen their brands and prepare for future growth.
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Congressional Delegation Explores Hawaiʻi Aquaculture at HOST Park
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A bipartisan delegation from the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture toured the Hawaiʻi Ocean Science and Technology Park on Aug. 22 to learn about its public-private aquaculture partnerships and the industry’s opportunities and challenges.
Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaiʻi, proposed the visit. Tokuda serves as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., led the delegation, which included Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., chairman of the Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee; Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., ranking member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture; and Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio. Congressional staff and guests also participated.
HOST Park Interim Executive Director Keith Olson and Deputy Director Pam Madden welcomed the delegation and explained how early federal and state investments established the park’s seawater pipeline infrastructure. Those investments helped HOST Park grow into the research and commercial hub operating today.
Gavin Keys of Ocean Era discussed opportunities and operational challenges facing Hawaiʻi’s finfish and limu industries. He also led the delegation through facilities with tanks for nenue (fish), ogo (red algae) and sea-grapes (green algae).
The group then toured Cyanotech’s microalgae production operations with Jen Johansen, who explained how the company produces astaxanthin and spirulina for health and nutrition supplements.
The visit gave lawmakers a closer look at how public infrastructure supports private aquaculture research and production while helping businesses make use of Hawaiʻi’s marine resources.
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Export Workshops Connect Hawaiʻi Business and Lenders with Federal Resources
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DBEDT, the Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center, the Export-Import Bank of the United States and the U.S. Small Business Administration will host two free workshops focused on export financing and international business opportunities.
The Sept. 22 Export Finance Roundtable is designed for commercial lenders, credit unions, community banks and other finance professionals. Representatives from EXIM and SBA will discuss federal export finance programs, working capital guarantees and tools that help financial institutions support exporters while managing risk.
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The Sept. 24 Export Financing and Exporting Opportunities for Small Business workshop is open to Hawaiʻi businesses and entrepreneurs interested in international markets. Topics include export readiness, market research, payment risk, export credit insurance and financing for international orders. Participants will also learn about the Hawaiʻi State Trade Expansion Program, which supports qualifying small businesses pursuing export opportunities.
Both workshops will be held at the Hawaiʻi Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9 Homer A. Maxey International Trade Resource Center in Honolulu. Seating is limited, and early registration is encouraged.
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60 Years as Hawaiʻi’s Hub of International Trade
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| Hawaiʻi Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9 has spent six decades connecting a statewide network serving hundreds of companies and local businesses to global markets.
Governor Josh Green issued a proclamation recognizing FTZ No. 9’s 60th anniversary and its contributions to international trade and Hawaiʻi’s economy.
Activated on June 15, 1966, FTZ No. 9 moved its headquarters from Pier 39 to Pier 2 in 1982. The program has since grown to encompass 13 sites across 2,600 acres, with six activated sites that include Hawaiʻi’s two refineries and the general-purpose zone at Pier 2.
In 2024, FTZ No. 9 served 289 companies and supported 4,047 jobs. Nearly $10.6 billion in goods from 24 countries flowed through its sites. The program ranked first among U.S. foreign-trade zones for the number of companies served and among the top 25 nationally overall.
FTZ No. 9 helps businesses manage the costs and requirements of importing and exporting. Its Pier 2 facility brings together international businesses, customs brokers, shipping and logistics companies, maritime operations and federal trade resources in one location.
After 60 years, FTZ No. 9 continues to help Hawaiʻi businesses compete beyond the islands and strengthen the state’s connections to the global economy.
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Community Priorities Shape Hawaiʻi’s Tourism Future
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Six 2026-28 Destination Management Action Plans outline specific steps to address visitor hotspots under strain on Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. Residents, visitor industry representatives, government agencies and stewardship organizations helped identify each island’s priorities.
HTA is also investing in community-led experiences through its 2026 Community Enrichment Program. Forty-nine organizations received funding for 60 programs celebrating Hawaiʻi’s culture, natural resources and sense of place. The selected projects include cultural festivals, agricultural events, educational programs, sporting events and volunteer opportunities taking place statewide through December.
Through statewide planning, island-specific action and direct funding for local programs, HTA is putting community priorities into practice.
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2026 Hawaiʻi Employer Pulse Survey Seeks Employer Input
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The Workforce Development Council (WDC), in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Employers Council, is asking employers across the state to participate in the 2026 Hawaiʻi Employer Pulse Survey.
The survey will help WDC better understand the experiences, challenges, opportunities and outlook of Hawaiʻi employers. Questions focus on current workforce and workplace trends, awareness and use of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act resources and services — and readiness for practical applications of artificial intelligence.
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Employer feedback will give WDC a clearer picture of workforce needs across the state and help identify where employers need greater support.
The survey takes approximately 10 to 12 minutes to complete. All responses will be reported in aggregate.
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DBEDT Team Members Honored
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DBEDT celebrated the people behind the department’s work through its employee service awards. Oscar Carvallo Valencia was recognized with the Special Act/Merit Award. Andrew Chang received Employee of the Year, Gwen Yamamoto Lau received Manager of the Year and the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation Finance Branch received Team of the Year. Congratulations to all of this year’s awardees!
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Hawaiʻi Tech Week – Aug. 31 – Sept. 6, 2026
Hawaiʻi Tech Week returns, bringing founders, investors, business leaders, and technology professionals together for events across Honolulu. Explore sessions covering artificial intelligence, innovation, entrepreneurship and business growth. View the calendar and register for individual events.
Sept. 2026 SBRRB Meeting – Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, 1 p.m.
Next month's Small Business Regulatory Review Board (SBRRB) meeting will review several Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules. The public is welcome to attend in person or virtually. For more information and the full agenda, visit sbrrb.hawaii.gov/meetings.
2026 Hawaiʻi Tourism Conference – Sept. 24-25, 2026
Reserve your spot at the 2026 Hawai‘i Tourism Conference, the premier gathering of visitor industry, community and government partners to shape the future of tourism in Hawai‘i. Presented by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, the conference will explore the forces shaping the industry and address how to strengthen its long‑term resilience, vitality and capacity to enhance both visitor experiences and resident quality of life. Register today.
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For more on DBEDT and its divisions and attached agencies, please visit dbedt.hawaii.gov.
Below are links to more news from DBEDT’s core divisions, attached agencies and related programs:
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